The present invention is generally related to the presentation of tree structures in a graphical user interface (GUI) and, more particularly, is related to systems and methods for managing interaction with a presentation of a tree structure in a GUI.
Currently, a variety of systems and/or processes are used for inspecting manufacturing defects in printed circuit boards. Printed circuit boards typically include one or more electrical components (e.g., computer chips, capacitors, etc.) soldered to an integrated circuit (IC). For many years, the de facto process for production of printed circuit board assemblies included manual visual inspection (MVI) after soldering, followed by an electrical test, such as in-circuit testing (ICT), at the end of the assembly process to isolate any defects that occurred during manufacturing. Typically, a final functional test was run to verify that the printed circuit board operated properly before it was integrated into a final product.
As the need for more complex printed circuit boards having more components increased, automated inspection systems became popular. Such inspection systems typically comprise a printed circuit board modeling system, an imaging system, and a control system. Typically, the modeling system is used to generate a computer model of a printed circuit board that is to be mass-produced. The imaging system comprises hardware and/or software for capturing an image of the manufactured printed circuit board. Currently, image systems employ a variety of imaging techniques (e.g., x-ray, optical, ultrasonic, thermal image, etc.). The control system typically receives a file containing a computer model of the particular printed circuit board from the modeling system. Based on the computer model, the control system may generate an inspection program to be implemented by the imaging system. The inspection program may be used to image a manufactured printed circuit board, which is based on the computer model generated by the modeling system. After the imaging system generates the images of the manufactured printed circuit board, the images may be compared to the computer model to inspect for a variety of manufacturing defects (e.g., open solder joints, shorts, missing components, misaligned components, insufficient solder joints, excess solder joints, reversed capacitors, solder balls, solder voids, etc).
Control systems implemented in current PCB inspection systems typically employ a graphical user interface to assist in generating the inspection program for the imaging system and for interfacing with the PCB modeling system. The graphical user interface typically employs a display of a tree structure to aid in the inspection process. For example, the graphical user interface may include a display of the following hierarchical arrangement of objects: a root object corresponding to a family object that specifies a type of solder joint; one or more first-level objects corresponding to a package object that specifies a type of component in the printed circuit board; one or more second-level objects corresponding to an instance object that specifies a unique reference designator for a package; and one or more third-level objects corresponding to a pin object that specifies a unique pin number for a specific component. Such systems, however, are very problematic when a user desires to search for a particular object within the structure.
Thus, there is a need in the industry for improved systems and methods for managing interaction with a presentation of a tree structure in a graphical user interface.
The present invention provides systems and methods for managing interaction with a presentation of a tree structure in a graphical user interface.
The present invention may be viewed as a method for managing interaction with a presentation of a tree structure in a graphical user interface. Briefly described, one such method comprises the steps of: displaying a tree structure on a first portion of a graphical user interface; receiving a search request for an object in the tree structure having a predefined value via a second portion of the graphical user interface; displaying a search result in a third portion of the graphical user interface, the search result comprising one or more locations that satisfy the search request; and in response to selection of one of the locations, modifying the tree structure to display the selected location of the object having the predefined value.
The present invention may also be viewed as providing a system for managing interaction with a presentation of a tree structure in a graphical user interface. Briefly described, one such system comprises logic, a processing device configured to implement the logic, and a display device configured to support the graphical user interface. The logic is configured to: display a tree structure on a first portion of a graphical user interface; receive a search request for an object in the tree structure having a predefined value via a second portion of the graphical user interface; display a search result in a third portion of the graphical user interface, the search result comprising one or more locations that satisfy the search request; and modify, in response to selection of one of the locations, the tree structure to display the selected location of the object having the predefined value.
The present invention may also be viewed as providing a computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for managing interaction with a presentation of a tree structure in a graphical user interface. Briefly, described one such computer program comprises logic configured to: display a tree structure on a first portion of a graphical user interface; receive a search request for an object in the tree structure having a predefined value via a second portion of the graphical user interface; display a search result in a third portion of the graphical user interface, the search result comprising one or more locations that satisfy the search request; and modify, in response to selection of one of the locations, the tree structure to display the selected location of the object having the predefined value.
Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.